A positive resist system in use today is composed of a base soluble polymer such as phenol-formaldehyde novolak resin and a photoactive compound containing diazo and keto groups at adjacent positions on the molecule. Such sensitizers and resists are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,046,118; 3,046,121; 3,106,465; 3,201,239 and 3,666,473 which are hereby incorporated by reference. Exposure of the sensitizer is believed to convert the diazo keto configuration into a carboxyl group which, along with the hydroxyl groups of the novolak resin, causes the exposed material to be soluble in an alkaline solution. Negative resists, on the other hand, generally consist of a polymer with small amounts of a sensitizer which initiates cross-linking of the polymer upon exposure. The exposed material then becomes less readily soluble in developer solutions which are usually organic solvents. The two types of resists, therefore have been of necessity very different from each other in properties and behavior.